Tag: Papoose

Knitting

Exit Thanksgiving, We Love Surprises!

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THANKSGIVING

I hope everyone had as wonderful a Thanksgiving as the Iknead crew did.  As it happens every year, I overate, overplayed with the grands, overtalked and just all around over busied and basked in the company of loved ones.  I finished the Scapula scarf (yay!) and worked on Christmas knitting when I wasn’t overdoing whatever it was that I was overdoing at that moment.

Did you know that Stuttgart, Arkansas (home of the Papoose and Sprout) is the Duck and Rice Capital of the World?  Did you know that the World Championship Duck Calling Contest coincided with Thanksgiving this year?  I didn’t think so.  There were so many duck callers around that I expected every duck on the planet to swoop down and pay us a visit, but fortunately, that didn’t happen.  There was, however, the obligatory person in a duck suit.

 

The grands had matching PJs –

L to R

Babydiva, the Papoose and the Sprout

Everyone played nice:

The Sprout showed off her two new teeth –

and showed what the Le Miz poster looked like live and in person

We got a photo of something other than the back of the Babydiva’s head –

And best of all…….

Babydaddy and Babymama announced that Babydiva will be a big sister next year!  That’s right – we’ll be welcoming a new grand around July, 2014 and we couldn’t be more excited!  Let the baby knitting begin!

Life is the art of drawing without an eraser.  John Gardner

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Knitting

Spiral

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WHAT’S UP

I have some knitting projects that I’m anxious to share and a book recommendation, but that has to wait until tomorrow, the official WIP/Knit A Long day.  A couple of these projects are Christmas knits, so I have to keep them on the down low.  The Iknead bunch will stoop to anything to figure out what’s under the tree for them.  But – A bowl I made in my pottery class was out of the kiln (FINALLY) after a few false starts from the potter (me).  I’m SO happy with how it turned out.

Spiral Bowl

A Surprise Inside

This bowl was completely dipped in New Clear Glaze, with a top dip and a bottom dip in Caramel.  Who knew that the New Clear glaze would turn out to be such a lovely bluish gray??!  I’m in love with this pot!

THE GRANDS

Tub Time with the Grand Trio, right before the kid in the middle dropped a special delivery and the other two made a hasty exit!

Left to Right:

Babydiva, the Sprout and the Papoose

When you are dissatisfied and would like to go back to your youth, think of algebra.  Unknown

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Knitting

A Confession, Just Grand

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HAS THIS EVER HAPPENED TO YOU?

A certain family member requested some type of scarf (she’s not picky) to go with a new red winter coat.  My cerebral cogs started meshing and here’s what they came up with.

Mochi Plus

80% Merino/20% Nylon

Cherries Jubilee

To make a long story short, I’ve fallen head over heels in love with this yarn and am having separation anxiety over the thought of using it for a Christmas gift.  I want to clutch it to my breast and croon, “don’t worry, you’re staying with me.”  Is this weird?

Truly, though, the red in this yarn is the wrong red to go with the coat.  The coat is a blue undertones red and while this yarn does have red, it’s red with orange undertones.  Anyway, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.  Off to my LYS sometime today to find a more appropriate bluey red for the gift.  I think this is called a “rationalization”.

THE GRANDS

Mr. Iknead and I had the ultimate grandbaby experience over the weekend.  Bigdaddy had a wedding to officiate up in Branson, Missouri and took Bigmommy along.  Mr. Iknead and I had the Papoose and Sprout solo from Friday morning until late Sunday afternoon.  What a treat!

A good time had by all!

Sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.  Lewis Carroll

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Knitting

Release for Mom, Relief for Us

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FINISH

We buried my mom yesterday in the family plot in Batesville and I think we all heaved a secret sigh of relief to have it over and done with.  Now comes the getting used to part, the part where there’s no more extra laundry, no more nursing home visits, no more knots in the pit of my stomach when the caller ID on my phone says Nursing Home.  I miss my mom, but dementia took her away long before yesterday.

Moving on……

ON THE NEEDLES

One Christmas project finished, another ready to begin and I’m feverishly trying to finish my Hilton Field Cowl.  Check this out, my first colorwork knitting that’s not stripes –

YESTERDAY’S BEST THING

The weather was beautiful, cool and sunny and I got to take a walk with the Papoose in a quiet, pretty place, her talking my ear off, giggling, giving the hand she was holding lots of kisses and saying I love you.  That’s the best thing.

The moment one gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself.  Henry Miller

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Knitting
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THE GRANDS

Mr. Iknead and I had the pleasure of some two on one time yesterday with Babydiva while Babymama and Babydaddy caught a matinee (did I spell that right?) of Wicked and it’s hard to tell who had the better time.  We went on a field trip to Good Earth Garden Center and we had a blast.  I took lots of pictures of the back of Babydiva’s head, since she never quits moving and her philosophy is “why sit when you can walk and why walk when you can run?”  Note to self – wear running shoes next time.  See what I mean?

Look at that sweet hand!

I got it, Pawpaw.

Then, there’s the Papoose and Sprout.

Precious Sprout

The Papoose and cookie dough love.

What did we do before we had grands?

Patience and perseverence have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.  John Adams

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Knitting

Looky here, Grands and Cookies

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LOOK WHAT I MADE!

A very kind friend donated some fabric scraps a couple of weeks ago when she found out I was doing some crafty sewing – we’re talking high end stuff.  I’m a little embarrassed to admit that I’d forgotten all about them, which happens a lot around here.  It doesn’t help that I have fabric and yarn and quite a bit of found stuff that I found intriguing and brought home from who knows where.  Really, I do know where, I find stuff on my walks all.the.time. Stuff I can’t resist picking up and examining, always wondering about the backstory.  My children keep reminding me that this is how hoarders get started.  But I digress.  Backing it up…  I started digging around in some fabric that I had laid aside a while ago and found this really cool upholstery fabric.  Thanks Jean!  Look what I made!

A new needle roll to corral at least a few of the (knitting) needles I have at any given time close to hand.

Here’s a look at the outside

A peek inside

I put a big pocket on the end to hold circulars

Rolled up

I like it!

THE GRANDS

I had the joy of one on one time with a couple of the grands yesterday – The Sprout and I, along with Babymama and Babydiva, visited the library for Book Babies and a good time was had by all.  Books, babies, songs, rhymes, it was so fun!  I probably had more fun than anyone else.  Sometimes, my enthusiam embarrasses my kids, but my grands love it  and I have no plans to scale back any time soon.

After lunch, I put the Sprout down for a nap and the Papoose and I made chocolate chip cookies, best I’d ever tasted!  I took pictures:

Just getting started – modeling her apron

Making sure the sugar is still sweet

Ready to scrape the bowl

Pretty close to perfect, Susie says.

One more scrape

The Closing Ceremonies

There are only two ways to live your life.  One is as though nothing is a miracle.  The other is as if everything is.  Albert Einstein

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Knitting

Jump Down Turnaround, The Great Kitchen Rug Experiment, Book Babies

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CAUTION!  ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT ZONE!

I’ve been enmeshed in THAT sort of day today, a “somedays it’s not worth chewing through the restraints” kind of day and for no reason.  OK, maybe I’m a little bummed because I’ve no fiber to spin, or I just haven’t hit on the new project that makes the heavens open and the angels sing, kind of bored, kind of tired, exactly that type of day.  Then, book junkie that I am, I was on our local library website, trolling for books and happened to see this on the calender – Book Babies.  Clicked on it and found that it’s a special story time for babies up to 24 months and their caregivers with stories, rhymes and songs.  Meets 9:30 a.m. on Thursdays.  Perfect!  Bigmommy and the Papoose have dental appointments that day at 9:00 a.m. and I’m one on one with the Sprout.  We’re going and it’s going to be a blast, I just know.  So, that’s how you make a turnaround in your day, make an investment and get excited.

As an aside, my doorbell just rung, of course I ran like an idiot because I’m expecting some fiber here in the next day or two (see first paragraph) and much to my disappointment, it’s not my friendly mailman, Fedex man or UPS man.  It’s two kids who immediately start what feels like a hustle.  I finally asked right out what they needed, still felt hustled and so shut the door in their faces.  Probably, in all honesty, they’re out fundraising, but when I ask outright what they need and still get hustled, I’m done.  Sorry Charlie as the old tuna commercial used to say.  Not harshing my mellow, though.  Nope.

Back to our regularly scheduled post….

THE KITCHEN RUG EXPERIMENT

My kitchen needs a new rug.   Oh, by the way, did I ever mention that I get my best ideas in the middle of the night, or that Mr. Iknead never thinks they’re as great as I do when I wake him with something new?  Anyway….  Since this new rug needs to be washable and dryable, I start thinking cotton yarn.  Then, I replace the image of cotton yarn in my head with the image of some other type of cotton cording, like rope.  Moving right along, knitter that I am, I start wondering what size needles (big) and exactly how manageable something would be in real life, using needles about as big around as my wrist and maybe 1-2 inch rope.  Stop.  Take a breath.  Fortunately, I’ve been able to dial my enthusiasm back (this time) and contented myself with knitting this swatch, using size 15 needles and three strands of Lily Sugar and Cream cotton yarn held together.

Swatch #1

Vital Statistics BEFORE Washing

Cast on 20

20 rows

7.5 x 9 inches

I’m throwing it in with a load of towels here in a minute.  I’m really just hoping to see about how much shrinkage there is after a couple of rounds in the dryer.  I’m still thinking rope and huge needles, but before I make the investment in a couple of miles of cotton rope and two fenceposts, I thought I’d try this.  Mr. Iknead’s Austerity Plan thanks me, I know.

RAKU+MINI MOCHI = EYE CANDY

My Newest Raku Pot and Mini Mochi Yarn

My mother had a great deal of trouble with me, but I think she enjoyed it.  Mark Twain

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Knitting

Vacay and Kindersongs

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A LITTLE BUMMED

Today is our last pottery class for this semester, ;(, but I’ve already signed up for the next one.  I’m going to learn the wheel next and am excited to learn something new.  I think we raku again today.  The firebug in me is always excited to raku!

KINDERSONG

The Kindersong concert was totally AWESOME!  Silly songs, silly hats, silly dancing – I loved it!  Oh yeah, the grands loved it too.  The papoose danced the whole time.  I’ve already decided to keep an eye out so we can go again.  Mr. Iknead took lots of pictures, but since the papoose and babydiva were in constant motion, most of them are just blurs.  Oh, well, better pics next time.

LONG AWAITED, MUCH ANTICIPATED

Are you ready??  Cause here are a few of our vacay pics:

  The Sprout and the Papoose

 Babydiva

  All of us!

  Sprout

  Mr. Iknead, the grands and me, in our dreams.

  Mr. Iknead, the grands and me – real life

  Corny?  Absolutely!  Probably my favorite of all!

Kindness in words creates confidence.  Kindness in thinking creates profoundness.  Kindness in giving creates love.  Lao Tzu

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Knitting

Try To Relax, Willya?

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SPIN

A couple of things:  spinning is work, especially if you’re a newbie.  My treadle leg is tired today.  It also seems to have a steep learning curve.  I’ve been practicing and just this morning felt like I might be getting a handle on it, at least the treadling part.  If my hands are going correctly, I forget to treadle.  If my treadling is working, I forget about my hands.  But I think I’m improving….maybe…..just a little.  I’d taken a pic of my first (presentable) yarn – all one yard of it, but Flickr apparently is having a snit and won’t let me upload.  I’ll try again later.  What a brat.

OK, Flickr is back in my good graces.

THE GRANDS

We have tickets for tomorrow morning for a Kindersong performance and I personally am pretty jacked up about it.  I think it will be right up Babydiva and the Papoose’s alley, with lots of audience participation and familiar songs.  One of the coolest things is that Kindersongs is a husband and wife team, they’re local and before they launched Kindersongs, Mr. Kinder was a teacher and taught music to both Bigmommy and Babydaddy.  I think it’s really neat that my kids have a link to them and now, their kids will have one too.  Of course, any time we spend with the grands is precious and they’re just now getting to the age where they like to actually do things, and love to take part in anything musical and/or silly.  I hope we can get some pics.

PHOTOSHOOT

Our shoot at the beach turned out to be fabulous.  As soon as I can get a DVD burned, I’ll be posting some vacay pics.  What a difference a pro photog makes!  The weather cooperated (yay) and in a couple, everyone is actually looking in the same direction.  Do you know how hard it is to get three babies to look at the same thing?  One was always throwing sand, one was always eating sand and one simply got sick and tired of having her picture taken.  Kudos to the photographer!  Oh, I almost forgot, all our clothing matched, thanks to Bigmommy and Babymama.  I was a little skeptical about that, but it really turned out well.  I’ll  start listening to their suggestions more, maybe.

SUMPIN’S GOTTA GIVE

I decided today to put a lot of my projects on the backburner and concentrate on just one or two things.  Today, especially, I’ve felt a little overwhelmed; I want to work on everything but end up frustrated because I can’t seem to concentrate long enough to anything but screw up, much less finish something.  Knitting and reading – still in the game.  Everything else – in time out for at least a few days, until I can get my feet back under me.  Pinterest will be the death of me, I swear.

There are only two ways to live your life.  One is as though nothing is a miracle.  The other as if everything is.  Albert Einstein

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Knitting

Impulse Buy, Just Grands

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REPURPOSE

I bought this table runner a few days ago at Hobby Lobby for 66% off, mostly because when I saw it, I didn’t see a table runner, I saw a purse.  I love its colors and at $5.00 (give or take a quarter or two), I couldn’t pass it up.  In my head, a seam up each side would make a really cool pocketbook and the flap can be trimmed with the already existing fringe, with enough fabric left over to make a strap.  Super cool, super easy, right?  Pay no attention to the fact that I don’t know how to sew, it’s two seams, how hard could it be?  Right?  Bigmommy is bringing a portable sewing machine when she comes to visit tonight and knowing me, I’ll be up all night, trying to make a purse from a table runner, using up all my best swear words in the process.  Oooh, another trip to HL for purple thread, which I’ll need for the side seams that may be my Waterloo.

THE GRANDS

Mr. Iknead and I had some oh so precious one on one time with the Stuttgart grands last night, when they stayed with us overnight so Bigmommy and Bigdaddy could also have some precious one on one time with each other.  These babies are pure gold, went down for the night without a whimper, slept through and I woke up to sweet snuggles this morning.

Pensive Papoose

Sprout and Pawpaw

Then, when I thought it couldn’t be any sweeter, I had some serious one on one time with the Sprout, while everyone else went to lunch.  These special times seem few and far between, so we made the most of them.  I fed her lunch – bananas and oatmeal if you’re interested – gave her a dry diaper, followed closely with a bottle and then put her down for a nap.  So precious!

Copeland, if this dish looks familiar, it is, I have Aunt Veda’s dishes and use them every day.  We’ve eaten a lot of beans and cornbread off these, haven’t we?

The Sprout

Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.  Carl Jung

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Knitting

Spinning, Birds and Blessings

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OFF THE SPINDLE

Pulled my first ever handspun off my drop spindle yesterday afternoon, gave it a quick bath and laid it out to dry.  I can only hope to improve, I suppose.  Mr. Iknead’s drop spindle works like a charm and is easy to use.  It turns so easily and spins for what seems like a long, long time.  I invested in a small niddy-noddy and a yardage counter from Knitpicks today, they were on sale and if I stay as interested in spinning as I think I’m going to, I’ll need them.  Here’s a look at my first ever handspun:

Very kinky and I’m sure horrendously overspun but it’s a start.

LET ME DRAW YOU A (BIRD) BATH

Mr. Iknead and I finally got back out to The Good Earth Garden Center today.   We went out last Saturday but our shopping trip was cut short when my mother took a turn for the worse and had to be taken to the Emergency Room.  More about that a little later.  Anyway, we spent a couple of hours or so just wandering around, looking at different plants, coveting the largest and prettiest of whatever we happened to be looking at and browsing containers and pretty pots.  We had decided a few weeks ago that we really needed (read wanted) a small birdbath for the front yard, so we spent a little extra time just checking different ones out.  They were pretty expensive and we really just didn’t see one that turned over our engines and decided to wait for the perfect one, maybe pay a little more rather than just getting one that we thought was so-so and inexpensive.  We had this agreement and were leaving when I saw the Birdbath That Called My Name.  We both loved it, the price was right, so our front yard is now graced by the perfect birdbath.  I hope the birds love it as much as we do!

I love the leaf shape!

Now, if only the ground cover would hurry up and fill in…..

WHERE WE STAND

Our meetings with hospice went very well, Mom was officially admitted to Arkansas Hospice and they’ll be coming to the nursing home at least five days a week, caring for her and providing support for us.  A nice surprise was that Bigmommy’s best friend since babyhood is a social worker with Arkansas Hospice (we knew she worked for a hospice, just not which one) and has known my mom pretty much forever.  She and her family are like family to us and that gives us reassurance and comfort during this time, when it feels like we’re always second guessing ourselves and the decisions we’ve had to make.  A blessing.

THE GRANDS

The Stuttgart grands are at Grayton Beach, Florida even as I type.  They’re enjoying the Vaughan side of the family tree, and I’m sure being totally and deliberately spoiled rotten by their Grandmary and Pops,  aunts, uncles and cousins.  Another blessing for sure.  Waiting on some beach pics, will show off a few when (and if) they arrive.

Grown-ups never understand anything for themselves, and it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them.  Antoine de Saint-Exupery

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Knitting

You Mean It’s Not………

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WHAT’S UP

Still coming to you live from the 4th floor, UAMS, another day spent sitting in Mom’s room, imploring her to eat, which doesn’t work very well, but I was able to get about 1/4 of her supper into her.   It seems to take forever, between sips of water or tea and I’ll admit right here that even in routine situations, my patience is short at best, but, you do what you have to do.  She’s having difficulty drinking, I can’t tell if she’s just too weak or can’t remember how to use a straw, so I’m using the old straw in the drink, finger over the straw, into the mouth for a drink method.  Then, as I was doing this for the billionth time today, the idea of using a sippy cup occurred to me, so I’ll give that a whirl tomorrow.  Her doc told me today that if her blood pressure stabilized a bit and if her appetite started returning, there’s a possibility of discharge back to the nursing home sometime tomorrow.  We’ll see.

WHA…..?

I spent most of the day attempting to get one of my current WIPs photos downloaded so I could post it for WIPW (the internet service sucks at the hospital, to the point of  being nonexistant) and guess what???  IT’S NOT WEDNESDAY!  Hospitals can do that to you, every single day is the same, only the faces change and the days are really, truly a minimim of 48 hours.  There’s actually something called ICU psychosis, brought on because there’s no discernible day or night in the ICU, the lights are always on and the routine has no beginning or end.  I think I might have a touch of it and I’m not even the patient!

THE GRANDS

No matter what, these little ones bring me joy beyond measure, so here’s my happy for today –

The Papoose, Smiling With Her Whole Face

Babydiva, In a Rare Moment of Stillness

Couldn’t You Just Overdose on the Sprout’s Cute???

SILVER LINING

Since I labored all day under the impression that today was Wednesday, not Tuesday, a photo has been taken and uploaded and blog post drafted, nearly ready for posting; so, for once, I’m already a little ahead of the game for once.

Never let yesterday use up too much of today.  Will Rogers

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